Beneath the Wraps

                Rock is not her most favorite genre of music, but she LOVES the minerals that nature forms for her collection.  My Aunt Eloise had given her a sack of rocks when Jaime was three.  I know.  That seems like an odd gift, but Jaime truly loved them and would spend hours sorting them by color, size, her favorites, and whatever other grouping she could think of.          After we had moved to West Valley Jaime had gone next door to assist the neighbor with some light chores and came home with a large jar full of rocks – which again she separated into piles.   I remember taking several pictures of her enjoying her treasures which she had strewn across the couch.   This is the only pic I can find and she's not in it          I did not ask her to pose for this picture but took it as it triggers fond memories.   Her love for rock...

Randy has always been charismatic.   Often he has conned others out of favors based on his charm.   One time in fifth grade, someone dared him to wear a dress onto the playground.   Of course Randy needed incentive and said he’d do it for five dollars.   Randy wore the dress for the entire recess – but there had been a commotion about it.   Roland was called in and learned all what was involved.   Randy ended up having to give back the money on Roland’s orders. When the boys were older, we had a family home evening on the talents.   To each boy we gave 20 dollars and told them to go multiply.   Randy purchased 20 candles the following day.   He took his 20 candles from door to door and sold his one dollar candles for three dollars each.   And he would use his profits to purchase more candles until he had doubled his money and had made 40 dollars with the twenty. Jenna was a cute baby.   People would melt w...

         I don ’ t know how old I was when Grandma showed us the game Mr. Ree.   I vaguely remember seeing the game.   I don ’ t know if my cousins and I attempted to play it – I think we did, but soon became bored with it.   We didn ’ t really understand what we were supposed to do.          As I have researched the Internet to learn if there were really any similarities between Mr. Ree and Clue,   Mr. Ree sounds like it may have been more challenging or fun to play – but I could be wrong.   I just remember thinking the layout of the Mr. Ree board was similar to the mansion set for clue. Of course there are different versions of each game – changing design and pieces every decade or so for whatever reason.   This is what I remember from my childhood:     Recently my son, Tony, and his wife gave me a new addition of clue...

She seemed fascinated with the toilet.  I thought she’d train early.  She didn’t. She took off after she turned one.  How cool to move herself with her feet, to go from room to room.  To explore.                                                        She collected balls and rocks. Whenever we’d go out walking she would climb on fire hydrants and pick up anything she found in her path.  She loved roly-polys.  They resembled small balls.  She did attempt to put one in her mouth.                                             She collected whatever she could carry. She started preschool when she was thr...

Shortly after Roland and I became engaged, he wrote me a mushy letter filled with sentiment and quotes.   One of the lines he had written was: “. . . as Pikachu say, “I choose you”” I had absolutely no clue what that even meant.   Pikachu?   I figured it must be a quote from some movie I hadn’t seen.   Not only had I never seen Pokemon, I had never even heard of it.     According to what I’ve read (or rather my understanding of what I’ve read) Pokemon started out as a video game before it became an animated cartoon that somehow made its way into the boys hearts.   The three knew all the Pokemon characters by name and site.   At least one of the three boys seemed obsessed. I don’t know where Roland may have found the time to sit down with his boys and learn the names of each character and whatever quotes.   But Pokemon has done absolutely nothing for me.   And after learning somewhat of its origin and based on a vide...

My mom once told me that the first purse that she ever owned was red and had a picture of a cow.  She was five. I don't know if that's actually when she became obsessed with having a purse with her at all times.   But they seemed to be a part of her when I was growing up.   Back then she had several purses – assorted shapes and colors.   I don’t know how often she changed them.   I know she went through many. As a child, I don’t think I paid attention to the weight of mom’s purse, but as an adult, I realized she was often toting around the equivalence of a bowling ball – I kid you not.   And some of the heaviest purses were also the smallest ones that she owned. Okay, maybe as a mom it does seem necessary to lug around an extra case of bandages, a pocket knife, a sewing kit, a comb, 40 pens (only two of them worked) , a fork, and even a hot dog – because you just never know.   Much of the weight was due to the pound and a half o...

Wesley walks from yard to yard collecting rocks and sticks and stores them in the garage of his parents’ house.  Wesley is their only child. Wesley takes medication for his ADHD. It takes away any appetite that is necessary for growth.  Wesley is thin like the twigs he finds.  I think a heavy wind could blow him away. He and Jenna have collected morning glories and have thrown them into the pool.  But no worries – they don’t plan to leave them there.  They just want to see how cool they look floating upon the water When it is time for Wesley to go home, Jenna invites herself to go with him                                ...

Hector the Collector Collected bits of string, Collected dolls with broken heads And rusty bells that would not ring. Pieces out of picture puzzles, Bent-up nails and ice-cream sticks, Twists of wires, worn-out tires, Paper bags and broken bricks. Old chipped vases, half shoelaces, Gatlin’ guns that wouldn’t shoot, Leaky boats that wouldn’t float And stopped-up horns that wouldn’t toot. Butter knives that had no handles, Copper keys that fit no locks, Rings that were too small for fingers, Dried-up leaves and patched-up socks. Worn-out belts that had no buckles, ‘Lectric trains that had no tracks, Airplane models, broken bottles, Three-legged chairs and cups with cracks. Hector the Collector Loved these things with all his soul‹ Loved them more than shining diamonds, Loved them more than glistenin’ gold. Hector called to all the people, “Come and share my treasure trunk!” And all the silly sightless people Came and looked…and ...

          Sunny was helping Ellen and Nate with cleaning mom’s house.  She set aside a box of necklaces for Jenna to go through.            There’s a bunch of seashell leis.  I think Grandma Mary must have picked a couple up each time she went on a cruise.  Mom had purchased some as well, but I think the majority came from her mom.           Jenna had once asked for a “necklace making kit” and mom had given her one for her birthday.  And Jenna chose a special rainbow lace full of beads to give to grandma in return.  And my mom wore them proudly – at least that one day.  It was in the box among the many pieces of jewelry that remained.            As Jenna was sorting through her latest “treasures” she asked which of all the necklaces my favorite was. ...